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The Role of Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids in Retinal Function

  • Chapter
Fatty Acids

Part of the book series: Nutrition and Health ((NH))

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Abstract

The precursors of both n-6 and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), linoleic acid and α-linolenic acid, respectively, are essential for mammals as they are required for normal physiological function and cannot be synthesized de novo (Holman, 1968). They can only be accumulated by placental transfer or by dietary intake. Once accretion of these fatty acids has occurred, metabolic, conservation and recycling pathways sustain them (Bazan et al., 1994) Unlike mammals, plants can synthesize these precursor PUFAs (linoleic and α-linolenic acids) so they are found in abundance in the chloroplast membranes of plants, in certain vegetable oils, and in the tissues of plant-eating animals (Nettleton, 1991). The best sources of α-linolenic acid are vegetable oils, such as perilla (Yoshida et al., 1993) rapeseed (canola), linseed, walnut, and soybean (Nettleton, 1991). They are also abundant in shellfish, fish, and fish products and can be found in low amounts in green, leafy vegetables and baked beans (Nettleton, 1991; Sinclair, 1993).

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Authors
  1. Algis J. Vingrys
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  2. James A. Armitage
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  3. Harrison S. Weisinger
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  4. B. V. Bui
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  5. Andrew J. Sinclair
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  6. Richard S. Weisinger
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA

    David I. Mostofsky PhD

  2. Psychopharmacology Laboratory, Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel

    Shlomo Yehuda PhD

  3. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Rockville, MD, USA

    Norman Salem Jr. PhD

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© 2001 Springer Science+Business Media New York

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Vingrys, A.J., Armitage, J.A., Weisinger, H.S., Bui, B.V., Sinclair, A.J., Weisinger, R.S. (2001). The Role of Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids in Retinal Function. In: Mostofsky, D.I., Yehuda, S., Salem, N. (eds) Fatty Acids. Nutrition and Health. Humana Press, Totowa, NJ. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-59259-119-0_12

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-59259-119-0_12

  • Publisher Name: Humana Press, Totowa, NJ

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-61737-265-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-59259-119-0

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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